Folding bed davenport



July 21, 1931. SLEE 1,815,120

FOLDING BED DAVENPORT Filed Sept. 2, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 N INVENTOI? July 21, 1931. A. L. SLEE FOLDING BED DAVENPORT Filed sept. 2, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR m ri-i111.

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July 21, 1931. A. SLEE 1,815,120

FOLDING BED DAVENPORT Filed Sept. 2, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 w d nave/Woe. a

July 21, 1931. A. L. SLEE 1,815,120

FOLDING BED DAVENPORT Filed Sept. 2. 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 N m N N N Patented July 21, 1931 FFHE ARTHUR- L. SLEE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA FOLDING BED DAVENPORT Application filed September 2, 1930. Serial No. 479,159.

My invention relates to improvements in folding bed davenports wherein folding bed sections are mounted within a main frame and arranged to be covered by seat'and back cushions to normally form a davenport, said bed sections being arranged to be moved to operative extended position forming a full length bed, rigidly locked and supported in bed forming position, and arranged to receive a standard mattress.

The primary object of my invention .is to provide an improved folding bed davenport.

Another object is to provide an improved bed davenport of simplified construction affording economy in manufacture and providing a simple and efiicient operation.

A further object is to provide an improved device of the character described having bed frames arranged to be extended outwardly to form a bed of regulation size and foldable into a main frame to normally present the appearance of an ordinary davenport, the

lines and dimensions being made to substantially conform to present standard davenport 2 construction.

Another object is to provide an improved folding bed frame structure wherein a plurality of sections are connected to be folded compactly into the bottom and back of a davenport frame and to be extended to form a rigid bed frame, the sections being arranged to alford adequate space to accommodate a mattress and bedding within the davenport when folded, and provided with improved means for directing the several sections into accurate alniement within a common plane when extended.

A further object is to provide improved means for locking and supporting the bed frame sections when in extended bed forming position.

A further object is to provide improved means for mounting and connecting a plurality of bed sections whereby said sections operate to partially counterbalance each other during an opening or closing operation and thereby facilitate the folding and unfolding of the bed.

Another object is to provide improved means for mounting and connecting springs to assist in unfolding and folding the bed frame sections, and arranged to provide leverage of va of the fr A further object is to provide an improved rious lengths at different positions ame sections.

device wherein the operative elements are fully enclosed and position, bers are A still concealed when in folded and in which the connectlng memkept below the plane of the mattress when in extended position.

further object 1s to provide an improved device of the character described embodying improved details of construction and arrangement affording simplicity and increased efficiency.

1 accompllsh these and other means of objects by the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present application wherein like characters of reference 211' e used to designate similar parts improved folding bed davenport in normal folded position;

Fig. 2 is a broken front elevation of a portion of the device in extended bed forming device taken upon s a transverse vertical section of the the line 33 of 1 in the direction indicated, and showing various positions Fig. l 1

extended of the bed frame sections; s a broken plan view of a portion of to bed forming positions;

Fi 5 is a broken plan view of a portion of the device with the bed sections in folded position;

Fig. 6 the arran is a broken detail showing, in plan.

gement of the center and inner end section connecting means, in extended position, and

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shown in the spring attaching lever; is a side elevation of the structure Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view of the extended Fig. 9 the bed i bed frame structure showing the central supporting legs and bracing means.

with the upholstering partially broken away to disclose all of the working parts of the bed.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is used to designate in general the main frame of a davenport, said frame comprising a box like body having a back 2 and ends 3 forming arms at the ends of the main frame. The arms 3 are upholstered in any suitable manner, and the back 2 is provided with a back cushion portion at having upholstery of suitable nature applied over the front and top thereof, and pivotally connected to the top of the back frame portion 2 by suitable hinges 6. Links 7 are connected. to the back cushion portion 4 and arranged to engage the main frame 1 in any suitable manner to form props at the ends of the back portion 4 whereby the same may be rigidly secured in a raised inoperative position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. A plurality of removable seat cushions 8 are arranged to form a seat for the davenport.

A centerbed frame section 11 is pivotally mounted at one edge thereof upon the front edge of the main frame 1 by means of pivot arms 12 offset from the sides of the section 11 and engaging )ivot pins 13 mounted upon the ends 3 of the main frame in substantial alinement with one end of the frame section. The frame section consists simply of two side members, preferably formed from angle iron of suitable weight, held in spaced relation at one end by the pivot pins 13 and at the opposite end by means of cross brace members 1 1 and 16 extending transversely across the frame section and secured at their ends to legs 17 pivoted upon the sides of the section at the free edge thereof. The legs 17 are preferably formed from angle iron having flanges arranged to rest flush against upper sides of the side members of the frame section with the braces extending across the top of the section when in folded position, said legs preferably swinging freely to downwardly extending position to rest upon the floor and support the adjacent edge of the bed frame section. The upper brace member 14 bowed to form a suitable clearance between said brace and the plane of the frame section when in extended operative positiom-as shown in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

An outer end bed frame section designated in general by the numeral 18 is pivoted to the free edge of the center section 11 by means of suitable hinges 19. The section 18 is formed from side members similar to the side mem bers of the section 11 and connected at their free ends by a rigid cross member 21 having lateral extensions 22 forming an end for the bed frame. sides of the frame 18 adjacent the free end thereof, said legs being trraing ed to swing freely into matching relation with the side members of said frame when in folded posi- Legs 23 are pivoted upon the tion, and to swing freely into downwardly extending position to support the end of the frame when in extended bed forming position. Cross members 25 brace the legs.

The frame section 18 is provided with extensions 24 upon the sides thereof offset from the sides and face of the section. Links 26 are pivoted at one end thereof to the extensions 2% and at their opposite ends to pivot pins 27 secured upon the inner sides of the main frame ends 3 in spaced relation to the pivot pins 13. The section 18, when in normal folded position, extends upwardly and slightly rearwardly in parallel relation to the back 2 of the main frame. The links 26 and extensions 24 are arranged as best shown in Figs. 3, 4: and 9 of the drawings, so that as the section 18 is moved outwardly from its normal position, the links operate to move the section 18 upon. the hinges 19 into horizontal alinement with the section 11, as indicated in dotted lines in said figure.

An inner section, designated in general by the numeral 28, is arranged to normally rest within the bottom of the main frame 1, said section comprising side members corresponding to the side members of the frame 11 and connected at their rearward end by a rigid cross member 29 similar to the cross member 21. The section 28 is connected to the center section 11 by means of links 31 pivotally connected as at 31 to the side members of said frame in spaced relation to the pivot pin 13 and as at 31 adjacent the end of the frame 28. The links 31 normally hang substantially vertically and suspend the outer end of the frame 28 below the frame 11, the frame 28 being supported by the links and by the bottom of the main frame 1 in substantially spaced parallel relation to the frame 11 when in normal folded position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The links 31 are hung from the inside of the angle iron side members of the frames 11 and 28. and are arranged to be engaged by the lateral flanges thereof, when said members are moved into alinement, as indicated in Fig. 7, the links then resting upon said flanges and holding the side members in rigid alinement during further movement of said sections to extended bed forming position.

Suitable springs 32 are connected at one end to fixed moorings 33 at the back of the main frame 1. The opposite ends of the springs 32 are connected to pivotal extensions 36 on levers 3 1 secured to the side members of the center frame 11 at their pivot points, said levers 3 1 being pivotally movable with the frame 11 upon the pivot pins 13. The extensions 36 are pivotally connected :to the free ends of the levers, as at 37, said extensions being provided with offset lugs 38 arranged to engage similar lugs 39 carried by the levers 34 to limit the relative pivotal movement of the extensions whereby the extension is held as a rigid continuation of the lever when the bed frames are in folded position, said lugs permitting the extensions to be turned to an angular relation to the levers when the bed frames are moved to extended position and thereby shorten the effective length of the levers.

The inner end section 28 is provided with pivoted arms 41 pivotally mounted upon the rearward ends of the side members thereof as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The arms 41 are provided with pins 42 engaging slots 43 formed in levers 44 pivoted upon the main frame 1, as at 46. When the frame 28 is moved to its normal folded position within the bottom of the frame 1, the arms 41 are moved into proximate parallel relation to the levers 44 which in turn are moved to rest along the bottom of the frame 1 along the sides of the section 28. As the section 28 is moved to its bed forming position, the arms 41 swing the levers 44 upwardly upon their pivots 46, the pins 42 moving downwardly along the slots 43. As the section approaches its operative position, the arms 41 and levers 44 are moved into substantially parallel relation and by pressing the levers 44 rearwardly to their extreme positions as limited by the back of the main frame 1, the lower ends of the slots 43 are caused to engage the pins 42 and force the arms 41 and the rearward end of the section 28 upwardly to operative level or position.-

The levers 44 are arranged to be moved slightly past center to resist inadvertent displacement and obtain a rigid support for the rearward end of the sections 28. The levers 44 are preferably secured upon opposite ends of a connectingshaft 47 whereby the levers are moved together by pressure applied to either lever.

The bed frame sections 11, 18, and 28, are provided with a suitable mattress supporting web 48, preferably a wire fabric stretched from side to side and from end to end of the combined sections and resiliently connected thereto by springs 49 as disclosed in Fig. 4 of the drawings. The web 48 is of a flexible character adapted to be bent at the jnnctures of the frame sections, and arranged to support a mattress 51 laid thereon. The mattress is of standard bed size and thickness, the width of the mattress being received between the end arms 3 of the davenport frame 1, and the sections 11, 18, and 28 providing a combined length corresponding to the length of the mattress. A bail like member 52 is pivoted upon the outer end of the outer section 18 and arranged to be moved to engage and retain-the adjacent end of the mattress 51 and the usual bedding upon the frame section, when the same is moved to folded position.

In operation, the bed frame sections are normally moved to the folded positions shown in full lines in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 of the drawings. In this position, the center section 11 is supported in substantially horizontal position within the frame, the forward edge being supported by the pivot pins 13 and the rearward end being supported by brackets 53 secured upon the ends of the frame 1 and forming seats for the ends of the extensions 24. The section 18 extends upwardly from its juncture with the section 11, and rests against the back 2- of the main frame, and the section 28 rests within the bottom of the frame 1, as best shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. In this position, the mattress 51 is doubled between the sections 11 and 28, and one end of the mattress is bent upwardly to be received between the section 18 and the back of the main frame. Clearance is provided between the sections 11 and 28, and between the section 18 and the back 3 of the main frame to accommodate an adequate supply of bedding.

In this normal position, the cushion back portion 4 is swung downward to normal davenport forming position, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby covering the section 11 and forming a cushion back for the davenport. The removable cushions 8 are placed upon the upper surface of the section 11, said cushions being arranged to fully cover the section 11 and the mechanis a at the ends of the davenport, thereby presenting the outward appearance of an ordinary davenport and efiectually concealing the bed forming elements.

When it is desired to convert the davenport into a bed, the removable cushions 8 are lifted from the frame 11, and the cushion back 4 is swung upwardly to its inoperative position and secured by the links 7 as disclosed in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The upper edge of the section 18is then grasped by an operator and moved upwardly and outwardly from its normal position. This movement causes the section 11 to be swung outwardly around the pivots 13, and also causes the links 26 to be swung around their pivots 27, thereby causing the section 18 to be moved pivotally relative to the section 11 and to be moved into horizontal alinement with the section 11 as the sections are moved through successive positions as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

As the section 11 is turned to its outwardly extended position, the links 31, pivoted in spaced relation to the pivots 13, operate first to raise the outer edge of the section 28 until the section 28 is inclined to alinement with the section 11 and in the same plane therewith. as shown in the second dotted position in 3. At this point the links engage the upper surfaces of the inwardly disposed flanges of the side frame members, thereby preventing further movement of the sections 11 and 28 relative to each other, and causing the section 28 to be swung bodily upward in the same plane with the section 11 as said section 11 is moved to its horizontal position. The section 28 thus counterbalances the weight of the sections 11 and 18 during this movement, thereby facilitating the movement.

As the sections are moved to their outwardly extended bed forming position, the

legs 17 and 23 swing freely downward to rest upon the floor and support the outer ends of the sections 11 and 18 respectively as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The levers 4A are then manually moved rearwardly to bracing position. as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings to support and lock the rearward edge of the section 28, thereby rigidly supporting the bed along its entire length.

The springs 32 are normally under tension and are arranged to impart a pull upon the levers 34, through their pivoted extensions 36, to assist in moving the sections outwardly. During the initial movement, the pull of the springs 32 operates through the full leverage of the combined lever .84: and extension 36. The spring reaches its maximum contraction at about the time the section 11 reaches a vertical plane, at which time the weight of the sections is carried substantially entirely by the pivots 13 without imposing appreciable load upon the operator. At this point the levers 3s begin to move out of alinement with the extensions 36 which remain substantially alined with the springs, and during the further movement of the section 11, the springs are again stretched and caused to resist the downward movement of the sections 1.1 and 18, and thereby reduce the load to be'supported by the operator and prevent the sections from being dropped suddenly. The pull exerted by the springs now operates only through the leverage of the le vers 84:, thereby permitting the use of a strong spring for initially starting the sections from their folded positions without imposing excessive pull when stretched in the extended position. This jointed lever structure also serves to provide a long effective leverage at the start of the unfolding and at the end of the folding operations when the load upon the operator is heaviest without causing any portion of the mechanism to extend aboy e the plane of the mattress surface when in extended position.

To close the bed, the levers 44: are first moved to unlock and thereby release the rearward edge of the section 28. The outer end of the bed frame is then lifted and swung back to its normal position. The section 28 and springs 32 partially counterbalance the weight of the sections 11 and 18 and the springs '32 impart an efficient pull so that the effort required to lift the sections is very slight. As the outer sections are raised, the links 26 cause the section 18 to be moved to proper angular relation to the section 11, and

the Web 48 and the mattress 51 are bent as shown. The outer end of the mattress is held from slipping by means of the member 52. The springs 32 are stretched to their maximum extension as the sections approach the extreme folded position, thereby relieving the operator of a greater portion of the load and preventing the sections from being dropped too suddenly into folded position, and storing energy to assist in unfolding the sections when again desired.

lV-hile I have illustrated what I now regard as the preferred embodiment of my invention, the device is of course subject to modification in various specific details of construction and arrangement without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore desire to avail myself of all modifications which may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l. A folding bed clavenport comprising a main frame; a folding bed frame mounted upon the main frame and consisting'ofa center section pivoted at one edge thereof adjacent the front edge of the main frame, an outer end section pivoted to the free end of said center section and movable from a normal folded position within the back of the main frame to an extended position in the same horizontal plane with the center section, and an inner end section normally received Within the bottom of the main frame and provided with means connecting said section to the center section to raise said in ner end section into the common horizontal plane of the center and outer end sections when moved to extended position, said inner section being free at its rearward end and said connecting means supporting said inner section in counter-balancing relation to the center and outer sections as the bed frame is moved bet-ween its normal and extended position; a slotted hand lever pivoted upon the main frame; and a link pivoted upon the rearward .end of the inner section and provided with a pin engaging the slot of the lever to brace and support the inner end frame when the lever is moved to an operative position, said pin being movable within the slot whereby the lever and link may be folded to proximate parallel relation when the bed frame is folded.

a main frame; a folding bed frame mounted upon the main frameand consisting of a cen ter section pivoted atone edge thereof adjacent the front edge of the main frame, an outer end section pivoted to the free end of said center section and movable from .a normal folded position within the back of the main frame to :an extended position in the same horizontal plane with the center sec- 2. A folding bed davenport comprising tion, and an inner end section normally received within the bottom of the main frame and provided with means connecting said section to the center section to raise said inner end section into the common horizontal plane of the center and outer sections when moved to extended position; extensions carried by the outer end frame; links pivoted upon the main frame and to the extensions to move said outer end frame into alinement with the center frame when moved to extended position; springs mounted within the ends of the main frame and connected at one end to said main frame; and lever means connected to the center frame and engaged by the other ends of the springs to assist in starting the movement of the bed frame sections from either extreme position and to retard movement as the sections aparoach the opposite extreme positions, said lever means being provided with pivotal extensions actuated by the tensions of the said springs to provide leverage of different lengths in the extreme folded and unfolded positions.

3. A folding bed davenport comprising a main frame; a folding bed frame mounted upon the main frame and consisting of a center section pivoted at one edge thereof adjacent the front edge of the main frame, an outer end section pivoted to the free end of said center section and movable from a normal folded position within the back of the main frame to an extended position in the same horizontal plane with the center section, and an inner end section normally received within the bottom of the main frame and provided with means connecting said section to the center section to raise said inner end section into the common horizontal plane of the center and outer sections when moved to extended position; extensions carried by the outer end frame; links pivoted upon the main frame and to the extensions to move said outer end frame into alinement with the center frame when moved to extended position; springs mounted within the ends of the main frame and connected at one end to said main frame; and lever means connected to the center frame and engaged by the other ends of the springs to assist in starting the movement of the bed frame sections from either extreme position and to retard movement as the sections approach the opposite extreme positions, said means comprising an arm formed from pivotally connected sections provided with interengaging lugs limiting pivotal movement and holding said sections in longitudinal alinement when the bed sections are moved to folded positions and permitting relative pivotal movement of said lever sections to angularly disposed relation as the bed sections are moved to extended position.

4. In a folding bed davenport, the combination with a bed frame section pivoted upon the main frame of a davenport and an end frame pivotally connected to the free edge of said bed frame section, of extensions carried upon the ends of said end frame; links pivoted at one end upon the extensions and at their opposite ends upon the main davenport frame to guide and partially support the end frame during movement between a normal folded position within the back of the davenport frame to an outwardly extended position in horizontal alinement with the center frame section; legs pivoted upon the ends of the center and outer sections adjacent to the free edges thereof, said legs being foldable by gravity into proximate parallel relation with the sides of said frame section when in folded position and swinging freely downwardly to engage a floor and to support said section when in extended position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto set my signature.

ARTHUR L. SLEE. 

